RIDDLE RANCH (1935) Black King, David Worth & June Marlowe | Western | B&W

Riddle Ranch is a 1935 American Western film produced by Mitchell Leichter and released theatrically by Beaumont Pictures, Inc. on Dec 16, 1935.

SYNOPSIS
Rigging a horse race, Don Carlos wins a lot of money. When he loses his winnings at the gambling table, he shoots the dealer with Horton's gun. Horton is arrested but cannot prove his innocence.

Rancher Jim Riddle refuses to allow his niece Helen to marry Bob Horton, believing she's too good for an ordinary cowboy. When Bob is falsely accused of murdering a saloon gambler, Riddle withholds knowledge of the victim's dying declaration, which would exonerate the innocent cowpuncher. While hiding in the desert, Horton discovers a clue that would prove his innocence. But with both the sheriff and the real killer - Mexican bandit Don Carlos - hot on his trail, it appears unlikely that Bob will survive long enough to clear his name.

Don Carlos, Mexican renegade, wanted by his government for espionage, but who poses as a horse buyer,wants to buy "Black King," Owner Jim Riddle refuses and Carlos is determined to get the horse by hook or crook. A race is arranged between a Carlos horse and "Black King", with the winning owner to take the other's horse. Carlos sends a henchie to fix "Black King" so that he goes lame and loses. Bob Horton, who loves Riddle's niece, Helen, rides the horse and is accused of pulling a double-cross. That night at Riddle's gambling house Carlos loses, and shoots a gambler with Bob's gun.Bob is accused and escapes to Mexico. Exhausted, he finds a water hole and, while drinking (and surprised to find that it isn't poisoned, considering the kind of day he has had) ol' "Black King" (the Horse With a Human Brain) limps up. He has been freed by Betty, Helen's six-year-old sister. Bob discovers the wire that had been twisted into the horses' leg by the henchman. Bob and the horse elude the posse and meet up with Carlos.

CAST & CREW
Black King as Black King the horse
David Worth as Bob Horton
Julian Rivero as Don Carlos
Fred "Snowflake" Toones as Snowflake
June Marlow as Helen
Baby Charlene Barry as Young Betty
Rychard Cramer as Jim Riddle
Art Feliz as Pedro
Henry Sylvester as Sheriff
Ray Gallagher as Deputy Tom
Budd Buster as Antonio
Kate Brinker as Guest
Larry Francis as Guest
Tracy Layne as Ranch Hand Red
Sue Milford as Guest
Buck Morgan as Cowboy

Directed by Charles Hutchison
Screenplay by L.V. Jefferson, E. J. Thornton
Story by
Produced by Mitchell Leichter
Cinematography Robert Doran
Edited by George Halligan
Production company Black King Productions, Inc.
Distributed by Beaumont Pictures, Inc.
Release date Dec 16, 1935
Running time 59 minutes
Country United States
Language English

NOTES
One of several mid-1930s movies produced by filmmaker Mitchell Leichter, Riddle Ranch is a pleasantly offbeat horse opera that compels interest precisely because it eschews B-Western cliches. It also features several performers not associated with the genre, most notably June Marlowe (best remembered as Miss Crabtree, the pretty schoolteacher in the ""Our Gang"" shorts).